1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic discharge protection element, a liquid crystal display device having the same, and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A display device is implemented using a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs). A TFT includes an amorphous silicon semiconductor or polycrystalline silicon semiconductor, an oxide silicon insulating layer, and a metal electrode.
With recent development of various conductive organic materials, extensive researches have been conducted on organic TFTs using organic semiconductors throughout the world.
The new organic semiconductors are widely applied to various types of display devices because they are prepared using various polymer synthesis methods, are easy to form in a fiber or film shape, are flexible, and are manufactured at a low cost.
Meanwhile, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form. The pixels are implemented with TFTs. The LCD displays an image by controlling the respective pixels through the switching of the TFTs.
Since the LCD device is susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD), the LCD device includes an ESD protection element. The ESD protection element may be implemented with TFTs.
Studies have been conducted to apply organic TFTs to LCDs.
However, due to difficulties in fabrication of organic TFTs, favorable results have not been obtained.
In addition, the application of the organic TFTs to the ESD protection element has not been studied.
Therefore, the organic TFTs are applied only to the TFTs of the pixels of the LCD, and the ESD protection element is implemented with typical TFTs. Consequently, the manufacturing process of the LCD is complicated and the manufacturing cost of the LCD increases.